


The Reckoning

by Angylsmuse, Rina9294



Series: Fourth Pass [13]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Fourth Pass, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 11:18:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9321125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angylsmuse/pseuds/Angylsmuse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rina9294/pseuds/Rina9294
Summary: Jag's miserable, Gei's gone and the twins have had enough.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted October 2003.

P09.03.20   
Amphytron Hold   
Late Evening

Both Jaered and Jadeen watched their father push his meal around his plate yet again, taking maybe a few bites before shoving it away. His face was gaunter than they could ever remember seeing it and the circles under his eyes seemed to grow daily. The twins knew he wasn’t sleeping, they both had heard him prowling around the family rooms at odd hours of the night.

Jaered and Jadeen were worried. They’d never seen their father like this. All their grandparents would tell them was that Jaegger needed time. Time for what? A glance passed from one twin to the other. Enough was enough - they needed to confront their father on this.

“Daddy,” Jadeen began softly. She was the one who could always wrap Jag around her finger easiest - daddy’s little girl and all that. “You’re scaring us. What’s wrong?”

Jaegger looked up with dull eyes and a ghost of a smile passed across his lips. “Just tired sweetie, that’s all.”

So, sugar wasn’t going to work. Jaered’s turn.

“It’s because of _him_ isn’t it? Because the armscrafter left. I mean come on dad - it’s not like you were _really_ in love with him were you? It was all just an act to catch that nutcase of a cousin right?” Jaered quizzed his father derisively.

Jaegger’s eyes went from dull to ice in a heartbeat, and then the pain the twins’ saw in their father’s eyes. Yup - he was in love with the guy alright.

“Yes Jaered, it was obviously all just an act,” _After all the bastard took off fast enough once he could_ , Jaegger thought to himself bitterly. But it hurt, oh shards, he never knew his heart could hurt this much.

“Actually daddy, I probably shouldn’t tell you this because - Rayden told Sergei he wasn’t needed here anymore. One of my friends, the one who’s the journeyman healer, overheard him tell the armscrafter, and Sergei went real quiet for a while and then asked for his clothes and left. She told me yesterday when we got together...” Jadeen trailed off as her father’s face went pale as snow. Maybe she shouldn’t have.

“Rayden told him to... Oh Jays, no! I’ve got to find...” Jaegger stood quickly, then sank back down in his seat. “He must hate me. No wonder he left me. After all I nearly got him killed,” Jaegger whispered harshly. “Then he hears that I don’t want him even though I do... oh shards.”

The twins looked at each other significantly. Oh yeah, their father had it bad. Well since the older generation seemed so intent on messing it up and when Jaered and Jadeen got through with Master Rayden he was going to be sooo sorry for what he did, they were going to have to straighten it out.

“He’s at Dark Water, dad,” Jaered volunteered quietly. He might have given Sergei a hard time, not to mention his dad, in the beginning but it was only because he wanted his father to be happy. And it looked like the only one who could really make Jaegger happy was the armscrafter. Besides now that he knew Sergei wasn’t so... _green_ he kinda liked the guy.

“I asked one of my friends there and he said that Corporal-at-Arms Sergei isn’t, well, happy. And isn’t recovering as quickly as he should. I got the impression that my friend thinks the Corporal is, well, pining away for a lover or something. _I_ think Sergei misses you dad. Maybe you should go and haul him back home to Amphytron where he belongs, don’t you think?”

Jaegger looked from one twin to the other and seeing their approving expressions and loving acceptance smiled his first real smile since Sergei had vanished without a trace. Pulling them both into a hug he whispered that he loved them and that he’d be back soon with their step-father, even though the son of a bitch didn’t know that’s what he was just yet, and stood.

Striding through the corridors to his private suite, Jaegger’s smile turned feral. Sergei was about to find out that he wasn’t the only one who could be possessive. Lord Holder Jaegger was going to claim his mate in no uncertain terms. And by the time he was through, Sergei would have gotten it into his thick head that the only place he belonged from now until he died was at Amphytron, with his lover.

~*~*~

P09.03.21 [day after]   
Dark Water Healerhall   
Morning

“These are never going to heal if you don’t relax and let them,” Crafthallmaster Lucian told his recalcitrant patient. The red-head’s tone may have been mild, but there was a glint in his green eyes that even his mate had learned to be leery of - and Master Sergeant Aidan was one of the most respected people in his craft.

Corporal-at-Arms Sergei muttered a curse, and then flinched as the masterhealer pulled the bandage tighter around his ribs. “Need to do something, can’t take sitting here like this. Was just sparring some, nothing too risky.”

“Shardit man, you fractured your right arm, cracked three ribs which, I might add, you re-broke today, got a concussion, then topped it all off by going _between_ before any of them were treated. Do you have a death wish or something because if you do I can have Aidan put you out of your misery.”

“Don’t tempt me,” the dark-haired armscrafter muttered, earning himself a sharp look from the healer.

“Don’t _you_ tempt _me_ , Corporal. I find out you’ve pulled one of your fool-hardy stunts and re-injured yourself again and you’ll be wishing that it was Aidan coming after you, understand?”

Sergei straightened automatically, his body responding to the commanding tones in the manner that had been drilled into him at Ravensfall. “You _sure_ you aren’t an armscrafter?” he asked warily as he stood and reached for his sleeveless shirt, pulling it carefully on over the cast that encased his right arm. “And promise that if I manage to fuck up again I’ll save you both the trouble and jump off the cliffs at low tide.”

“Not funny, Corporal,” the masterhealer frowned. “Now go and lie in the sun, shells you look as if you haven’t slept in a month!”

“That would be because I haven’t,” Sergei shrugged as he headed out the door, then out of the healerhall, squinting until his eyes became accustomed to the glare of the tropical sun. “And sure, lie in the sun. Tan my fuckin’ skin off. Sure, sounds like a great time to me.”

Gei was in a dangerous state of mind and he knew it, he just couldn’t bring himself to care about it anymore then he could bring himself to caring if he lived or died anytime in the near future.

~*~*~

It had taken surprisingly little time for Jaegger to get to Dark Water.  He’d gone directly to his rooms and changed into a pair of faded denims, a well-worn white tee shirt and his favorite brown leather jacket for the trip _between_.  He’d then gone to his father who’d taken one look at his first born and smiled.  “Well it’s about damned time you came to your senses and went after that man.  Go.  I’ll take care of the hold,” Ransom assured his son.

But Jaegger hadn’t left right away.  Instead he found himself in the Master-at-Arms office and had in a very cold and deadly voice told the armscrafter just what he thought of Rayden’s interference in his life.  Jaegger had also made it quite clear to the older man that when he came home, it would be with Sergei and that the younger man was now a permanent part of the lord holder’s life and his family.  Spelling it out as concisely as he could, Jag let his first lover know that he was mated, and that Sergei was for life.

Now all Jaegger had to do was find the stubborn son of a bitch and convince him of the same thing.  And the holder was quite ready to get into it, if that’s what it took to convince his love that he meant business.  Jaegger was not leaving Dark Water without Sergei.  End of tale. But where the blazes to start?

~*~*~

Finding his thoughts too morose for even himself to deal with, Sergei surged to his feet, ignoring the twinge of pain in his side. Enough was enough, he’d be damned if he spent the rest of his life in a funk because he’d been sent on his way now that his usefulness was over.

“No more bodyguard work for me, am going to talk to Aidan about bounty hunting.” Actually, the chance to rough up criminals sounded like just what the healer had ordered, noting like taking out his anger and frustration on someone who deserved it after all.

Granted, he couldn’t start taking commissions until he was fully healed, but in another month or so... “That’s what I’ll do,” Sergei promised himself as he started back up the path toward the hall.

~*~*~

Jaegger took a moment to orient himself then began to explore the healerhall, hoping to bump into someone who’d know the arrogant armscrafter, or better yet Sergei himself.  Now he was here he wanted nothing more than to find his younger lover, even if part of him was terrified at a second rejection.

A quiet yip made the holder look down.  There, in front of him was Indi.  Dropping to his knees he began to pet the dane, but found himself hugging her tight, breathing in the scent of his lover, which seemed to cling to the blue dane.  “Kelt and I have missed you girl, “ he informed the canine softly, speaking of his Wolfhound who’d become rather friendly with the guard dog.

“In fact I think he missed you almost as much as I missed your son of a bitch of an owner,” Jaegger choked out, tears threatening despite his resolve.  “Think you can help me find him?  Where’s Sergei girl?  Can you take me to him?”

The canine sat, staring up at the man before her for a long moment as if indecisive.  She knew who he wanted her to take him to see, she just wasn’t sure her master wanted the same thing.  Finally, she rose to her feet and padded along the hallway, heading for the hall’s main entrance.

~*~*~

By the time he neared the hall once again, Sergei’s head was pounding from the glare.  Rubbing at his forehead time and again had left his dark hair in wild disarray and this coupled with the haggard, almost wild expression on his face, made for a slightly scary image.

Seeing someone leaving the hall, he squinted, shading his eyes and frowning when he recognized first Indi and then the man following her.  A sickening combination of anger, lust and pain ran through the armscrafter as he recognized his former lover, no, former employer and he narrowed his eyes, wondering what in blazes Jaegger was doing here and why.

~*~*~

Jaegger’s heart nearly shattered as he looked at the damaged, bruised, exhausted form of his lover, and then he hardened it.  No.  Now was not the time for being soft, Sergei had it coming, injuries or not.  The son of a bitch had left him!  Without a goodbye or a chance of an explanation, without even asking why.

Bending down he petted Indi one more time.  “Thanks girl, go inside now, me and your master have some talking to do and I don’t need you trying to chomp on my throat, okay?”

Seeing him again shouldn’t hurt so much, but it did.  Sergei had spent the past month walling up the places inside him that longed to be with Jaegger and one look at the older man had ripped them wide open again.  It hurt worse them getting his head half stove in, it hurt worse then having his arm shattered.  It hurt worse then anything he could imagine.

After releasing Indi to do as Jag asked, Gei pulled himself upright, hardening his stare and his heart.  “Lord Jaegger.  Was there something about my work that was unsatisfactory?”

“Other than the fact that you left before I ended the contract, _Armscrafter_ Sergei?  How about the fact that you walked out on me you son of a bitch?”  Jaegger snarled, his eyes sparking green fire as his fury built to new heights.

“Shards, I’m almost tempted to finish the job and kill you myself you arrogant fucking bastard!”

The only outward sign of Sergei’s fury was the balling of his left hand into fist and the slight twitch in the fingers of his right hand.  Reaching deep down inside of himself, Gei tapped his last reserves of control, knowing that he had to or that he would end up doing something both of them would regret, if they lived that long.  “I was informed by your Mastersergeant that the contract was ended, that you had ended it.  That being the case, I left.”

“Since when the hell does my Mastersergeant break contracts made with me?” Jaegger shot back.  “Correct me if I’m wrong here Corporal, but he had no part of that deal, it was between you and me.  Which means, if I’m not mistaken, that I was the only one who could break the fucking thing.  And let’s get something straight, the contract isn’t done until I say it is, open ended remember?  Until I feel safe.  So screw you, you son of a bitch, you’re stuck with me until I fucking well DIE!”  Jaegger’s voice got progressively louder with each word until the last was bellowed in the younger man’s face.

Granted, Sergei couldn’t remember the whole incident very clearly, having your brains jostled around will do that to you, but he couldn’t have misjudged it that bad, could he?  Jaegger was beyond furious and though Gei was still almost there himself, he retained control of his emotions by the slimmest of margins.

“It meant, my Lord, that either one of us could break it.  And if you’re telling me you don’t feel safe now that’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard.  You don’t need me any more and I’m not going to sit around playing nursemaid if that’s what you want so _you_ , deal with _that_!”

“How the shells do you know how I feel _armscrafter_ ,” Jaegger spit out, his heart shattering like crystal hurled against rock.  “ You never asked, you never listened, and you never really heard did you?  Fine.  I’ll go, but before I do, just for the record, I love you, you arrogant asshole.  Probably will never love anyone else.  Doesn’t mean I can’t find someone to fill the empty space in my bed though.  Just means no one else will ever fill my heart.  Have a wonderful life, Sergei.  Really.” 

Jaegger spun on his heels and stalked towards where the watchdragon waited, his hands clenched so tight they were white.  Except for the crimson drops of blood that fell from where his nails had cut into the soft flesh of his palms.  Pain was the only thing keeping him from screaming in agony right now.  Only thing keeping him sane.

That did it.  Sergei’s tenuous hold on his temper snapped and he stormed after Jaegger, ignoring the pain in his side as he over-extended it in his pursuit of the lord holder.  “You aren’t going anywhere, Jaegger,” he snarled, grabbing the older man with his left hand and spinning him around.  Moving in as close as Jag had been to him moments before, Sergei tightened his grip on the other man’s arm, and then shook him. 

“I don’t know.  How the fuck am I supposed to know how you feel?  No, I never asked, but I’m trained not to ask, just to do.  Just do your job and do it right, don’t let emotions get in the way.  Shards what a stinkin’ mess I made of that one.  Got too close and it almost got you killed.  You want the truth?  You want the truth?”  The bellowed out question drew a hiss of pain from between his lips, but Gei continued, knowing only that he had to say his piece while he could.  “A much as I hated leaving I was almost glad to go.  I screwed up, I let you talk me into leaving you alone and you almost died.  Dammit Jaegger... “ 

Drawing in heaving breaths that tore at his ribs, Sergei clenched his fist tighter, pulling the older man toward him.  “You almost died and there was nothing I could do about it and knowing that kills me.”  _Fuck it.  One last kiss._ Moving with lightning swiftness, he dropped his head, covering Jaegger’s lips with his an kissing him hungrily.

Jaegger leaned into the kiss for a brief second as his brain melted at the contact of the younger man’s mouth.  Then Sergei’s words registered.

“You shit!”  Jaegger bellowed right back after ripping his mouth away.  “I’m the one who took the risk.  You told me to stay put remember? Not to leave?  Didn’t want me to go anywhere without you, any of this sounding vaguely familiar yet?  Scorch it; I’m the one who disobeyed you.  I knew, I _knew_ you didn’t want me to go, but did I bother to walk the two hallways to get you?  No.  I’m the one who fucked up, and look what it cost you,” the last was whispered harshly as the full weight of his guilt, his crimes against his lover washed over him.

“You nearly died Gei, and if you had... Dragonriders aren’t the only ones who suicide when loosing their heart mates you know,” Jag confessed, eyes glassing over slightly at the thought of what almost had happened.

“The closest I came to dying was when I heard that I was done there,” the armscrafter answered honestly.  “And yes you fucked up, but so did I.  If I’d have made sure he was totally unconscious before checking on you he wouldn’t have gotten half the damage in that he did.”  The pain stabbed at him again and Sergei was unable to totally hide the wince.  “I need to sit down or Master Lucian is going to have my hide on a drying rack.  If you’re staying that is.”  The last was asked in a slightly guarded manner.

“Only if you want me to Gei.  I never want to be the cause of any more of your pain, never again,” Jag replied solemnly, even as he wrapped an arm lightly around the younger man’s waist and began to nudge him towards the hold.  “And Rayden was out of line, and jealous.  He had no right.  No right at all.” 

“No, he didn’t,” the younger man answered, turning his head enough to look down at the lord holder. “And if he wasn’t your friend, I would tell him that in a much more adamant way then I plan to when we get back to the hold.” The second the words left his mouth, Gei knew that was just what he was going to do. They’d lost enough time, had almost lost each other, and he couldn’t let this chance get away.

“You’re coming home with me?” Jag’s voice caught as his fondest wish was so easily given to him.  So much anger, so many harsh words and then... forgiven so easily.  Shells he loved this man. 

Stiffening his spine for a possible argument, Jag made a quick decision.  “Not until the healers give you clearance.  Until then, we’re staying right here.”

“Not sure how long that will be, Sergei murmured, hearing the wonderment in Jaegger’s voice and then the acceptance as well.  “The hold going to last without you?”

“Dad’s running it again for a while.  He practically shoved me out the door and onto the dragon with orders not to return without his son-in-law.  I get the feeling he likes you,” Jag replied, holding the younger man more firmly against him without damaging Sergei further. 

“The really funny thing is that it was my kids who told me where you were and to come get you... I think they like you even more than dad.”

“Your dad,” the armscrafter began, and then looked incredulously at the older man.  “Your kids like me?  That’s the biggest load of...  Your kids wish I would disappear - and they had their wish.”

“My son said, and I quote, maybe you should go and haul his sorry ass back to Amphytron where he belongs, don’t you think?  Jadeen on the other hand just said she liked the fact that you make me happy and she didn’t like the fact that I wasn’t eating or sleeping and I was as miserable as hell without you.  I get the feeling that once they realized you weren’t... so bloody girly they actually thought you were pretty neat.  Jaered was especially impressed with... everything, once he found out.  They like you Gei, get used to it,” Jaegger chuckled softly.

Sergei humphed then his eyes narrowed and he seriously _looked_ at his lover for the first time.  “You look like crap, Jaegger.  I think you need to lie down more then I do.”

“Couldn’t sleep without you,” Jag confessed softly.  “Kept reaching for you in the night and waking up when I couldn’t find you and realizing that you were gone and not coming back and I couldn’t go back to sleep so I’d walk the corridors the rest of the night.  Kelt kept me company.  I think I scared the kids, not to mention my parents and quite a few of the hold workers who ran into me on my midnight rambles.  Some of them probably thought I was following in my mother’s footsteps and going insane just like... “ Jag trailed off, not wanting to even think about the dead man, let alone the fact that they had been related.

Moving carefully in deference to his bound ribs, Sergei slid his arm around Jaegger’s waist and hugged him.  “Lets get both of us to bed then and after a nap, we’re going to get some food in you, understand?  If my job is to keep you safe, that includes guarding your health.”

Jag’s head automatically sought the hollow in Sergei’s shoulder and he sighed, content for the first time in a month.  “I’ve missed that most of all, you know.  The way you boss me around.  I’ve missed feeling safe. But it doesn’t mean I’m through with you.  Oh no, I’ve had a long time to plan what I was going to do to you armscrafter so just you wait until you’re healthy again.  You’re not the only one around here who feels possessive,” the older man warned.

The younger man’s eyebrows arched upward at the threat implicit in Jaegger’s rich voice and something in him twitched in curiosity.  “Planning on trying to take me down, Jag-love?  I don’t think so.”  That said, Sergei pushed open the door to the room he had been assigned during his stay and led the lord holder inside.

Jaegger snorted softly.  He hadn’t spent the past few months just obeying without question, he’d been observing and he figured he had enough information garnered to plan an attack when the armscrafter was least expecting it.  But let Sergei keep his illusions... for now.  Jaegger was determined to get his pound of flesh, or in this case ass, for Sergei’s lack of faith in him and his love.

Taking the lord holder’s silence for acquiescence, Sergei nodded to himself and shut the door behind them.  “Bed’s in there and you should be too,” he stated, trying to decide if he should bother with the fellis Master Lucian had left in the center of the table.

“When you’re with me, not until,” Jaegger replied stubbornly as he moved towards the table.  “This for you?”

Sergei snarled a curse and glared at Jaegger.  “Maybe, maybe not.”

Jaegger sighed.  Sometimes his lover bore a strong resemblance to his children, when they had been _children_.  “Sergei drink whatever the Fall that is and come to bed.  I don’t want to ever sleep without you again.”

Mollified by that statement but still slightly grumpy, Gei swallowed down the contents of the glass, grimacing at the slightly acrid taste.  “If you aren’t here when I wake up, you are dead meat,” he promised, the words already taking on a slight slur.  Sighing slightly, he slid his arm back around Jaegger and led him toward he sleeping room.

“No place on Pern I’d rather be, lover,” Jag assured the younger man as he helped him into bed.  Slowly taking of the loose shirt Sergei wore, Jaegger tried not to wince as he saw just what damage had been done.  “Oh my Sergei,” he whispered, tracing a finger lightly over the bandaged and bruised ribs. 

The holder had the sudden, overwhelming urge to coddle and cosset the younger man, even though he knew it wouldn’t be appreciated.  But screw it, Sergei deserved it.  Jaegger continued to undress his mate, removing the other man’s shoes and pants before helping him under the covers.  Wearily stripping of his own clothing he slid between the cool sheets and rested his head on its favorite pillow, Sergei’s shoulder, and fell asleep plotting ways to pamper his mate.  Starting with a meal in bed.

“Jag you, wait, stop...”  Seeing that his protests were getting him nowhere, Sergei sighed and let Jaegger undress him then settle them in bed.  The effects of the fellis were quickly making themselves known and he was only able to brush a kiss across Jag’s forehead before he too dropped off into a more peaceful sleep then he’d had in a month.

~*~*~

Jaegger came awake slowly, feeling more rested than he had in an age.  He’d slept for four candlemarks straight, a record considering his sleep patterns of the previous month.  Smiling he felt a chest rise and fall underneath him.  This was what he’d been missing; the sound of his love’s heartbeat in his ear, the feel of his chest rising and falling.  Sergei’s scent and presence and his arms wrapped loosely around Jaegger.  This had been why he couldn’t sleep.

Smiling, he softly disentangled himself from the younger man and padded into the bathing room to use the necessary.  He’d finish up there, then catch an apprentice in the halls and have them deliver a meal to Sergei’s rooms and then take a bath, but he wasn’t about to leave them.  Oh no, he had his orders.

“Jays, I hate fellis,” Gei mumbled blearily as he woke.  A second later, he was totally alert, the state of awareness brought about by the empty space in the bed beside him.  “That son of a...” he snarled, vaulting out of the bed, unable to suppress the groan as his sudden movements made his broken ribs announce themselves again.

Jaegger sauntered out of the bathing room, a towel slung low on his hips and another being used to dry his hair.  Not realizing that Sergei was awake, out of bed and glaring at him through the open door, he strolled through the living area to wait for the food to arrive, hoping whoever delivered it wouldn’t be put out by his state of undress.

“I see you’ve developed some bad habits during the past month,” Gei rasped, torn between wanting to smack the lord holder’s ass and kiss him breathless because he looked so luscious standing there.

“Gei, what are you doing out of bed?” Jag gasped, spinning around in surprise.  “Get back in there you stubborn pain in the ass armscrafter.  Shells, the man doesn’t a brain in that thick skull of his,” Jaegger mumbled as he tried to hustle the younger man back to bed.

“I’m here aren’t I?  Haven’t left your rooms at all.”

“Told you not to leave my bed,” the younger man snarled, grabbing Jag’s arm and tripping him down on to the bed.

Jaegger stared up at Sergei in astonishment.  What in the world? “No, you said if I left I’d be dead meat, I didn’t leave, I’m still here aren’t I?” he replied, not sure of just what was going on.  At that moment there was a knock on the door.  “Should be our dinner, you wanna get it or should I?”

Sergei cursed again, and then visibly got a hold of his temper.  How could he explain when he didn’t fully understand himself?  “Just stay there,” he snapped before grabbing a robe and storming out of the sleeping room. 

Getting the food proved slightly tricky, but he balanced the tray on his cast and carried it back into the bedroom.

Jag bounded off the bed and took the tray from the armscrafter.  “Shells Gei, do you always have to be so damned stubborn?” he groused as he set it down on a small table off to the side.  “You’re going to make your injuries worse, love.”

“Will stop being stubborn when you do.”  Not wanting to spill the food because he knew that Jag needed to eat, Sergei gave in on that point.  “Now get yourself and that tray back in bed.”

“At least let me check your bandages first,” Jag insisted, knowing he was probably driving the younger man crazy but not able to help himself.  He’d been that way with the twins too.  When anyone he loved was injured, for that matter.  He just needed to take care of them until they were better.  He needed to protect them.

“Jays,” the armscrafter griped.  “Fine, after you do that though you are going to eat or I am going to ram that food down your throat.”

“Sergei.  What the Fall is wrong with you?  You’ve done nothing but growl and snap since you woke up.  Shards, this sort of attitude I can do without thank you very much,” Jag nearly shouted, exasperated at his lover’s suddenly belligerent attitude.  It was almost as if Gei resented him being here or something. So much for everything being sunshine and roses once they’d settled their differences.

“Because you were supposed to be next to me when I woke up!” Sergei yelled “Thought I imagined the whole fucking thing when you weren’t and then I get up and see you dressed like that.  Shards, it’s a wonder I can think at all right now!”

“Sergei,” Jaegger tried to keep a reign on his own temper.  He’d had his chance to vent earlier; it was his lover’s turn now.  And if there was one thing he’d observed about his lover it was that Sergei hated to be perceived as weak in front of anyone, even him.  Even more damning was being insecure.  And the armscrafter had just admitted to being afraid and insecure in his own half-assed manner.

“Lover, I’m not going anywhere ever again.   You’re stuck with me Gei, for the long haul.  Shells if you can’t handle being with a lord holder just say the word, Jaered is a little young but he is of age.  I will go anywhere you want to go, be whoever you want me to be.  I _love_ you, Sergei.  I love you,” he finished, approaching his mate cautiously, as one would a skittish runner.

“Come back bed lover, okay?  We’ll eat, we’ll talk, and we’ll hold each other.  Alright?”

Feeling curiously lightened by his admission, Sergei nodded, not wanting to send either of them off again.  “All right, and you can check my bandages if it will make you feel better.”  Moving toward the bed, Gei lay back against the pillows, shifting until he was in a comfortable position.

“I’m not asking you to change or give up your hold,” he said the second after that, stunned by what Jaegger had offered.  “Don’t do that to yourself or your family.  The hold is fine.  _Your_ hold is fine.”

“Just wanted you to know love, I’ll do whatever it takes to make you... to make us work,” he’d almost said to make you happy, to make you love me, but had stopped himself the last second.  This was enough.  It had to be.  He couldn’t imagine his life without Sergei; it would be to desolate and bleak by far.

“And thank you for letting me make sure you’re okay.  You scared a good 20 Turns off of me Sergei.  You... I thought you were going to die,” he choked out before moving to bring the tray over to the bed and wrestle his spiking emotions under control. 

‘Too mean to kill,” the younger man joked before seeing the slight hitch in Jaegger’s shoulders and how upset the lord holder really was.  Levering himself upright again, he moved behind the older man, wrapping his arms around his waist, and taking care not to bang his cast against him.  “And what I need for us to work is just for you to be you.  No concessions, no changes, unless you suddenly want to start obeying my every order.”

Jaegger snorted and leaned back slightly.  “And flits’ll grow into dragons,” he muttered softly, just standing there, absorbing his mate’s presence.  It felt good, better than good.  It felt right.  “I love you Sergei, forever,” he whispered softly, not expecting an answer and not needing one.  It was enough.

“I know,” the younger man breathed, resting his head against Jaegger’s shoulder and closing his eyes as he pressed a series of light kisses on Jag’s bare skin.  “I know, Jag-love.”

“Bed now?” the holder asked hopefully, as he turned in the embrace to feel those kisses on his lips and face.

“Yeah,” Gei agreed readily, making his way up along Jaegger’s jaw before covering his lips, not breaking contact once, as they lay back down on the bed together.  “ _This_ ,” Sergei murmured, settling Jaegger against him while stroking his skin with his good hand, “was how I wanted to wake up this morning.  Can you blame me for being cranky?”

“Cranky, he says,” Jag chuckled.  “I’ve seen your canine look calmer than you did earlier - and she was foaming at the mouth and snarling and snapping at the time.  Wonder if that’s where she gets it from,” the older man teased his mate as he began to pepper the younger man’s undamaged areas with kisses.

“Was that supposed to be a joke?” Gei growled, but the sound was less hostile and more erotic then the ones he’d given earlier.  “You’d better try harder at the next one if it was.”  His wrist flicked, pulling the towel that had been draped around Jaegger’s waist from the other man’s body, baring it to his explorations.

“Shells, Gei,” Jaegger breathed, lust hardening his body quickly. But this wasn’t going to happen.  Not until the healer’s okayed it.  He was not going to injure his lover in any other way.  “Stop love, we gotta... not till the healers...” he tried to gasp out, even as he arched into the nimbly exploring hand.

“Fuck the healers.  No, better yet fuck you ‘cause that’s what I’m going to do Jag, one way or the other.”  Sergei’s voice was husky with desire and his body was so fixated on other things that his ribs didn’t bother him in the least.

“Sergei, shardit, stop being so stubborn,” the older man moaned, even as he felt himself weaken.  He was going to give in he knew it.  It had been so long since he’d had the younger man in him, had Sergei take him.  He craved it worse than sleep, worse than air.

The armscrafter shook his head for while Jaegger’s lips said one thing, the hard erection pressing against his thigh said another entirely.  “Can’t, it’s bred into me,” he chuckled, his hand drifting over Jag’s cock then back up to cup his ass.  “But since you’re the one who’s going to have to do most of the work here if you really don’t want to...”

“Oh shells,” Jaegger moaned and arched into the hot touch of his mate.  “Wha... what do I have to do?” he panted.  “Want you Gei, in me. Need you so bad,” he groaned almost painfully.

“Need to be in you just as bad,” Gei breathed, devouring his lover’s responses with a ferocious glee.  “Will be in you, but you’re going to have to be on top, and you’re going to have to do the prep work.”  Actually, the idea of Jaegger stretching himself in preparation for their loving was incredibly hot and Sergei’s cock twitched in appreciation of the imagined scene.

Jaegger moaned and thrust more forcefully against the armscrafter, the thought of what he had to do to prepare for the younger man making him burn.  “Jays,” he whispered, now painfully erect.  His was torn between acute embarrassment at being watched while performing such an intimate act, and extreme arousal at knowing it would be Sergei watching him.

“Do you have oil?” he asked, voice gone husky.

Sergei watched the emotions flicker across Jaegger’s handsome face, knowing that he had won this round when the lord holder arched against him.  “Bathing room, should be some in there,” he whispered, teasing the crease of Jag’s ass before kissing him.  “Don’t be too long, Jag-love, don’t want me to fall asleep.”

Jaegger swallowed visibly and climbed off the bed, slowly making his way to the bathing room, pausing every once and a while to cast a look over his shoulder.  Once inside the room he rummaged around for the oil and found it.  Realizing he was alone he considered preparing himself here and returning to the room already stretched and slick.

“Don’t even think about it,” Sergei called out, rightly guessing what his lover had been pondering.  “Otherwise I’ll have the fun of getting off while you sit and watch, without touching yourself.

“How did... sonofabitch,” Jaegger swore to himself as he re-emerged from the bathing room, oil in hand. “Don’t’ know what you’re talking about Gei,” he tried to bluff.

The armscrafter didn’t even bother answering that comment, considering it too much of a joke to be taken seriously. “Get over here, Jag,” he murmured, patting the bed beside him, his eyes roaming over the lord holder’s gloriously bare body as Jaegger moved closer to him.

Jaegger slowly climbed on the bed next to his lover, and took a deep, calming breath.  He was so aroused it was painful and yet, the thought of doing this before the younger man was... uncomfortable.  Eyes imploring his mate for a little vocal reassurance, Jag’s fingers slipped into the pot of oil, and taking the path of least resistance, he began to oil Sergei up first.

Sergei groaned out Jaegger’s name in a voice gone tight with need as he fought the desire to buck up into his lover’s hands.  One wrong twist on his part and this would be over before it started in more then one way and that was something he wouldn’t risk. 

“Do you know how much I want you?” he rasped, raising his good arm and running his hand along Jag’s arm.  “Too gorgeous, it almost hurts to watch you and the way you’ll look with your hands on yourself...”  He took a deep, unsteady breath, and then calmed his already frayed nerves.  “I can’t wait to be in you again, Jag. To feel the body you readied for me sliding over my cock.”

Jaegger’s eyes darkened to near black at his lover’s words and, removing his trembling fingers from the younger man’s erection, he dipped into the oil once more before rolling onto his side so that he was facing Sergei.  Reaching behind himself, he began to lightly caress his opening with his first finger, massaging around the tight opening before pressing inward slightly.  Groaning softly he trembled as he felt the tip slip past the ring of muscle.

Eyes closing, he envisioned that it was Sergei doing this to him. Instead of himself with Sergei watching.  The finger began to press inward slowly, stretching him slightly until - “Jays!” the tip brushed across his prostate, sending sparks of heat through him.

“That’s it, Jag-love,” the younger man breathed, his eyes dilated to a midnight black as he watched the erotic show Jaegger was putting on for him.  “Now two, think about how good it’s going to feel once we’re together again...”

“Sergei,” the holder whimpered softly, moving forward unconsciously so that he could rest his head against his lover’s shoulder and bury his face in the crook of the younger man’s neck as he withdrew his solitary finger in order to apply more oil then slide two of his fingers within the tight heat of his body.  His hips began to slowly buck and gyrate against Sergei’s as the pleasure and embarrassment and need swept over him.

“So beautiful, so hot and all mine,” the younger man sighed, rubbing his face against Jag’s and feeling the rasp of his beard stubble rubbing against the older man’s smooth skin.  “If you only knew how you looked at this moment, lover...  Jays, it’s driving me insane with wanting you.”  His free hand slid downward and rubbed over Jag’s arm, helping with the preparation as much as he could, considering his position and condition.  “Does it feel good?  Do you like knowing that I’m watching this?  Knowing that you’re doing this so that I can be in you, making you feel better then you ever have before?”

“Oh Gei, Jays yes!” Jaegger moaned softly, thrusting his hips harder into his lover.  His fingers stretched him gradually, the rings of muscle within him loosening enough for him to add another finger, this one without aid of extra oil.  He was as stretched and as ready as he could be now.  Eyes opening he found himself staring into Sergei’s now black ones.  “What now Gei?” he whispered.

The armscrafter’s breathing was heavy and uneven and it took him a moment to collect his wits enough to answer his lover’s question.  “Remember I told you that you get to be the top?” he joked, though his hand continued moving hungrily over Jaegger’s slick skin.  “Just like riding a runner, Jag-love, get astride your mount and post.”

“Jays,” Jaegger moaned even as he removed his fingers from his body and moved over the younger man.  “Oh jays,” he continued to moan softly as he took Sergei’s arousal and guided it to his prepared opening.  Bracing his hands on either side of his lover’s head he slowly pushed back, biting his lip to keep from crying out as inch after wondrous inch slid into him.  Soon Sergei was buried deep and he could feel the tip of the younger man’s erection brushing lightly against his prostate.  “Sergei.”

“Jaegger,” the younger man moaned through tightly clenched teeth.  He wanted nothing more then to flip them over and drive into the lord holder’s body, to make love to him as fast and furious as possible - but it wasn’t possible right now.  Filing the impulse away in his mind alongside the one that demanded retribution from Jaegger for him daring to try to walk the halls of the hold alone, Sergei grasped his lover’s hips with his good hand and arched his hips as much as he could.

“Now move, lover,” he sighed, gazing up at Jaegger through passion dark eyes.

“What if I don’t want to Sergei,” Jaegger purred, realizing all of a sudden that he was the one in control this time.  It may not be what he wanted to do to the younger man - that would have to wait till Sergei was healed.  Nonetheless... he could have a small amount of revenge.

“You don’t want to?”  A small amount of danger crept into the armscrafter’s voice and his hand slid over Jaegger’s thigh to cradle his testicles in the palm of his hand.  “Are you sure about that?”

“If you do what you’re threatening to do, you realize that this will be over far sooner than could ever imagine and it’ll probably be a Threadfree day on the Star before I’ll be able to do anything again don’t you?” Jaegger threatened right back, even as he began to tighten and release his inner muscles, providing the thick length of flesh inside him with a very unique form of massage.

Sharding bastard,” Gei growled though his fingers loosened their grip and began stroking the older man’s balls and the base of his cock.  The feel of Jag’s muscles closing over him like that was amazing and he couldn’t hold back the sigh of pleasure that escaped his lips.  “Taught you too well, didn’t I?”

Jaegger chuckled and bent to nip at the younger man’s nipples, and then suckle on them as he continued his internal massage, for a few more moments.  Raising his head he blew on the distended nubs, watching them tighten even more.  “Oh, I like that,” he whispered.

Sergei was almost mindless with pleasure at this point and he clawed at Jaegger with his broken arm, dragging him down to plunge his tongue into the older man’s mouth with ferocious abandon even as he rocked his hips as much as he was able, reaching for the orgasm that Jag’s small movements so far had denied him.

Breaking off the kiss, Jaegger stared down into Sergei’s eyes, falling in love all over again with his dangerous, brooding lover.  Finally taking pity on the younger man, or his revenge depending on the way you looked at it, Jaegger suddenly began to piston up and down on the armscrafter’s cock, riding him furiously.  “Is this what you wanted lover?” Jaegger moaned as he continued to impale himself on his mate.  “Like this?  Hot and fast and furious?”

“Yes!” Sergei shouted, twisting upward to meet Jaegger’s body, not caring in the least that his ribs protested the movement.  “Hard, hot, closer, closer, now!”  The last trailed away into a scream of ecstasy as he came with a force that would have scared him if he had been coherent.  As his hand pumped Jag’s cock frantically, Gei’s tongue delved into the older man’s mouth in the same pace of their coupling.

The constant stimulation of his prostate coupled with the fierceness of Sergei’s response and the taste of his lover on his tongue was all it took to send Jaegger careening over the edge of his own orgasm.  With a hoarse shout he coated his lover’s stomach with his seed, and tried desperately not to collapse on the younger man.

Feeling as if he had just lost a part of himself that he knew he would never take back, Sergei gasped for air as he shifted his grip on his lover to help support his weight, guiding Jaegger off him until the older man was cuddled up alongside him.  “Shards, Jag-love, I think that blew my mind,” he whispered, nuzzling Jag’s cheek, forehead, any bit of skin he could reach.

Jag chuckled breathlessly, curling around the younger man possessively.  “Nice to know I can actually set you off like that every once and a while.”

“More then every once in a while if you want to know the truth,” the armscrafter sighed, rubbing his face lazily against the top of Jaegger’s head.  “You make me crazy Jag, never felt so out of control as I do with you.”

Jaegger hid his smile.  He couldn’t remember the last time he felt that content... or satisfied.  “Just you wait, armscrafter.  You ain’t seen nothing yet, that I promise you!” 

“Oh really?” Sergei lifted and tilted his head to look down at the older man, his eyebrows arched.  “Does this mean that Master Lucian and Mastersergeant Aidan are going to be in here checking on me because of the noise?”

Jaegger just smiled mysteriously.  His lover and life was in for the shock of his life when recovered.  Jaegger was going to make sure the armscrafter knew damn well that he was just as ‘owned’ as Jaegger was and that if he _ever_ tried leaving the holder again, dragonfire would seem painless in comparison.

“Not just yet, Sergei.  You have to be a lot better before that.  So, am I still confined to this bed, or can I get up and clean up a bit?” he asked teasingly.

The armscrafter grumbled a bit, then kissed Jaegger’s forehead and unwound his arm from around the other man.  “Clean up, get the food and then get your ass back here, understand?”

Jaegger quirked an eyebrow and climbed out of bed.  Looking down at the armscrafter, he catalogued Sergei’s injuries and cocked his head to one side.  “Seems to me armscrafter that for the moment you’re not in any position to reinforce your orders.  In fact... if I have to be the one doing most of the work when it comes to us making love, I’d say you weren’t in much of a position to order me around period.”  The look of shocked amazement that spread over the younger man’s face was quite satisfying and Jaegger happily sauntered into the bathingroom, purposely exaggerating the sway of his hips knowing full well he was being watched.

“Sharding asshole...” Sergei muttered to himself though he was unable to tear his eyes away from the taut lines of Jaegger’s back and buttocks as the shorter man strolled away from him.  He had half a mind to leap out of the bed and prove to the lord holder just what he was in a position to do but seeing as it might end in an ignoble way, he’d just lie there and plot his revenge.  It could wait, they had time.

“I’ll always be in a position to order you around Jaegger,” he called, shifting around enough to sit up against the pillow.  “And if I’m not mistaken, you enjoy it so don’t go whining about it either!”

Once inside the safety of the bathing room Jaegger smiled and allowed a tiny chuckle to escape.  The man was right.  Jaegger adored his orders and hoped that one day soon he’d see the more dominant and controlling side of his lover that he’d only caught glimpses of so far.

Deciding to push the boundaries set for him by the impatient younger man and to ease muscles unused to the particular strains he’d just put them through.  Jaegger sank into the hot water to clean himself as well as soak the soreness and slight pains brought on by a month of celibacy followed by the feast he’d just gorged himself on.

Dunking underneath the warm water, Jaegger re-emerged all slick and wet and reaching for the sweetsand began to lather himself up, luxuriating in the heightened sensations zinging across his skin with ever touch or movement of water, with every brush of hand or cloth.  His hair was quickly washed and he indulged in long moments of blissful soaking, waiting for the bellow he expected at any moment with a devilish smile playing over his lush, mobile lips.

~*~*~

Folding his good arm behind his head, Sergei relaxed, watching the doorway to the bathing room through half-lidded eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of bonelessness that had claimed him.  “All mine, Jag-love,” he whispered to himself, a satisfied smile quirking up the corners of his mouth.

The smile turned to a grimace, however, as the semen splattered on his stomach and chest began to cool and dry, pulling at his skin and the trail of hair that ran down the center of his chest.  Just how long was Jaegger planning on staying in there anyway?  When he had said get cleaned up, Sergei had assumed the lord holder meant both of them.  Obviously he was mistaken.

“Am going to take that boy into hand...” he growled, levering himself up and out of the bed, grabbing a few slices of the roasted herdbeast from their dinner tray, then walking to the other room.  The armscrafter paused at the doorway, indulging in simply watching his lover relaxing in the hot water.  Jag’s dark hair was plastered to his scalp and a few drips slid down his face, caressing his skin and sliding into the dimples on his cheek as the older man saw him and smiled.

“It seems some reminders are in order, Jaegger,” Sergei commented, moving toward the pool and sitting on the edge near the other man.  “Because you have forgotten a sharding lot in the past month.”

Jaegger ducked his head to avoid letting Sergei see the cocky smile that spread across his face.  It had taken the younger man less time than he’d estimated to react.  “Is that so crafter?” Jaegger purred as he lounged indolently in the hot water, looking like someone without a care in the world, which described him perfectly. 

“And just what have I forgotten and how do you intend to remind me, temporary cripple that you are?” he teased his lover gently before lazily reaching under the water to play with his nipples, knowing that Sergei could see his every move through the crystal waters.

The armscrafter chewed at a piece of meat, licking his lips to clean them of the juice and gravy before he spoke.  His eyes remained downcast through it all, tracking the process of Jaegger’s hands on his own flesh, waiting for the time to be right before he struck.  “You see, Jag-love, I have one advantage over you.  I don’t care if I hurt myself again if it gets me what I want.  You, on the other hand, will worry yourself to gray hair if I do that so...”

Pushing off the edge of the pool, Sergei splashed into the water, hissing lightly as it hit his ribs, but keeping his cast out of the water for now.  “So tell me, m’lord.  How do you think I’m going to remind you what you’ve forgotten?” he asked, moving closer to Jaegger until he was standing between the older man’s thighs, staring down at him, a hungry expression on his face.

Jaegger merely cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head defiantly, a beguiling smile spreading across his lips.  “Well a month is an awfully long time Sergei, I seem to have forgotten how you remind me of things.  Then again I had a month to run wild and basically do whatever I sharding well felt like, maybe I enjoyed the freedom a bit too much, maybe I don’t wanna do what you say...” he trailed off, goading the younger man playfully, liking the reactions he saw flit across his lover’s face.

Sergei inclined his body until he was face to face with Jaegger, his weight resting partially on his broken arm, partially on the knee he had pressed against the ledge the lord holder was sitting on.  “You know what happens to those who abuse their freedom, lover?” he murmured, stroking the fingers of his good hand alongside Jag’s chiseled jaw line.

Jaegger’s eyes widened imperceptibly and his breath caught in his throat at the casually menacing tone of voice and danger glinting in those dark chocolate eyes.  He felt himself weakening, melting into the water.  Jays he loved seeing Sergei like this. 

Swallowing dryly the holder tried to speak but found desire had strangled his vocal cords so he settled for shaking his head negatively and inched back to see what would happen next.

The physical changes in Jaegger were so abrupt and all encompassing that Sergei was rendered speechless for a moment.  Jays did he look edible, collapsed as he was against the side of the pool, eyes dark with desire, pulse pounding visibly in his throat.  “When those in my care abuse their freedom,” the armscrafter whispered, sliding his hand behind the older man’s neck and lifting until they were eye to eye. 

“I have to take extreme measures to be sure that they won’t do it again.  What they are depends on the person in question and their... tolerance for that sort of thing.  Do you think you have the tolerance to withstand me, lover?”

Jaegger couldn’t stop the tiny whimper of lust that escaped involuntarily.  Here was everything he’d longed for in a mate right in front of him, growling and dominating him with the ease of breath.  Still unable to speak, he nodded his head slowly as his pulse beat out a frantic tattoo and his breath sped up to the point where he was openly panting.

Looking thoroughly unimpressed with that show of defiance, Sergei’s fingers tangled in Jaegger’s wet hair and he tipped the older man’s head back, looming in over him, crowding Jag between his chest and the wall.  Gei knew he couldn’t put too much pressure on himself, but he thought he could go as far as they would need to, for now.  “You can try, m’lord, but by the time I’m done with you, you’ll obey me as easily as Indi does, and as quickly too, understand?”

His leg slid higher, pressing his thigh against Jaegger’s renewed erection, putting just enough pressure on the hard length to let the lord holder know he meant business.  “Remember our little talk about my fantasies?  Well I have some that you haven’t even dreamed of...” Saying this, Sergei dropped lower and licked Jaegger’s ear before nipping at the lobe.

Fantasies... Jaegger’s eyes widened at the thought of what may be crawling around his lover’s brain and even being told he’d jump as quickly as Indi didn’t diminish his arousal, all it did was add a little defiance to his chin.  He’d push the limits set constantly - if for no other reason than to be ‘reminded’ of the rules all over again.

Sergei’s arm was beginning to ache, but he shoved the pain aside for the moment, intent on finishing what he had started here.  “But since I need two good arms for most of them, I think I should indulge in an older one right now.”  After sliding his tongue into Jaegger’s ear once more, he blew across the wet skin.  “Out of the pool, Jag-love.  I want to watch you now.”  Sergei’s voice rumbled like distant thunder and his dark eyes shimmered with barely controlled lust.

“Oh,” he added, while backing away from the older man, and climbing from the pool.  “If you say you don’t know what I mean, that order is going to change to ‘don’t touch yourself at all’.”

Jaegger swallowed visibly and slowly climbed out of the water, his legs so shaky they could barely sustain him.  Feeling somewhat dazed and more than a little unsure of himself, he followed the younger man back into the bedroom, silently waiting to see how Sergei would demand him placed. 

In the pit of his stomach a slow burn began to build and his phallus responded eagerly to the dark pleasure of the erotic images chasing through his brain.  Oh he knew what Sergei wanted all right, and part of him was aroused beyond belief while the other was ready to die of embarrassment.  It was a sultry, provocative feeling and he relished it.

Without bothering to dry himself off, the younger man settled himself back onto the bed, and then nodded at the rug nearby.  “Well?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow in question as well as a silent demand.  Then, he turned his attention to pouring himself a glass of juice and buttering a roll, waiting for Jaegger to comply.  This was part of the balancing act.  There had to be give and take on both sides, but finding that point where everyone was comfortable with what was being asked for and given was the tricky stage.

Jaegger moved towards the rug, but at the last minute stopped, he’d do this all right, because he wanted to as much as he was sure Sergei desired the same thing.  But not on a rug on the floor, he may be willing to jump obey his lover in most things but he wasn’t Indi.  So instead of the rug, Jaegger chose a divan where he could stretch out in relative comfort and still be able to be seen from the bed clearly.  It was just a little defiance, but one he felt he had to make.

Sergei gave a low laugh and shook his head.  Technically it wasn’t what he asked, but if Jaegger hadn’t tried to push the rules as far as possible he would have wondered if there was something wrong with the other man.  “Taking liberties?  Since the setting is appealing you can stay, but don’t get too comfortable over there.” 

That said, Sergei took a long swig from his drink, prepared to watch his lover discovering his own body.  “Chest first,” he murmured, smiling as Jag’s skin darkened in both arousal and a blush.  “Not below the navel though.”

Jag gulped audibly and did as he was bid.  His left hand began just above the navel, running back and forth across the expanse of flesh.  Shells!  He sucked in a breath, that felt so good.  His eyes closed involuntarily as he began to lightly race his fingers back and forth across the now rippling muscles of his abdomen. 

His other hand drifted into the fray, moving up to pinch and tease his sensitive nipples.  The more excited Jaegger got the harder he pinched them until pain and pleasure was blended into one arousing mass of sensation and his cock was weeping heavily and bobbing back in forth in need while his hips bucked up and down involuntarily.

He was panting heavily and sweat was pouring and his hands hadn’t even moved below his navel.  At his rate he’d come without even really touching himself. Oh jays!

His eyes widening and darkening with appreciation and desire for the sensual feast spread out before him, Sergei took another drink to wet his throat and enable him to speak.  He wanted to roll off the bed and let his hands join Jag’s in their explorations, but he wanted to watch this private show even more.

“Now lower, over your hips.  _Don’t_ touch you cock,” he added as a word of caution.  Unable to resist the impulse any longer, Gei cupped his erection in his own palm, rubbing and kneading the hot flesh absently as he avidly stared at his lover.

Jaegger whimpered softly as the dark chocolate voice of his lover rolled across him, adding to his excitement.  But not being able to touch his cock?  Oh how cruel!  He was almost ready to beg - but knew if he did it would only be worse. 

Sliding his hands down to his thighs he began to tease above and around his cock.  Realizing that his lover had only said cock, Jaegger smiled wickedly and began to card his fingers through the dark curls that framed his erection and reached down to cup his balls rolling them softly in between his fingers.  “Oh jays!” he whimpered softly, his body arching off the bed.

Sergei bit the inside of his cheeks to keep from laughing aloud as he watched Jaegger take advantage of every loophole his instructions allowed.  _Never let it be said that the man isn’t inventive.  But for that..._

“Softer,” he breathed.  “No pressure at all.  I want your fingertips barely touching your skin - and nowhere that you haven’t been given permission to touch.”

Whining softly Jaegger did as he was told, with extreme difficulty.  His touch became lighter and he whimpered loudly.  “Oh, shaffit, oooh Gei please,” he gave in and begged softly.  He was dying slowly.

His fingers trailed over his thighs and his through his pubic hair, they tickled his balls slightly and moved down to trace the division between the globes of his ass, but never dipped inside.

“What is it, Jag?” the younger man asked innocently, though the gleam in his dark eyes was anything but that.  He arched lightly against the pressure of his palm, reigning in the dark thoughts that were bubbling to the surface of his mind while contemplating what to allow Jag to do next.

“Do you want more?  Do you want to take your cock in your hand and milk it until you come, screaming?  Or do you want to fuck yourself, imagining it was me inside you making you feel that way?”

Jag’s hips jerked almost violently at that suggestion, the idea of fucking himself while Sergei watched was so... raw.  The whines became louder as he fought to keep the pressure of his fingers light.  He wanted, no he _needed_ it hard, hot, rough.  Oh shells how he needed to be dominated, to feel hard, hungry hands on his body racing, bruising, possessing.

His mind wove fantasies of his darkling lover possessing him with all the animal intensity that he knew Sergei had.  All that passion and ferocity and power turned on him.  His cock throbbed red and painful.  He was so close.  So very close...

“ _Don’t_ come,” Gei ordered sharply.  “And hands back above the waist for now.  When and if you decide to fuck yourself they can go lower, but not until then.”  He brought his hand to his lips, slowly licking his palm and fingers, before circling his cock once again, creating a tight tunnel of friction around his erection.

“Sergei please, want _you_ in me,” Jag whimpered softly.

“I know you do, baby, but _I_ want to see you do yourself and guess who’s going to win?” the younger man smiled though in all actuality he was itching to get inside his lover again.  “One finger now, just run it over the head of your cock.”

Moaning softly, Jaegger did as he was instructed, hooded eyes watching his cock leap and dance while watching his lover finding the relief he sought without any constriction.  He was tempted to say screw it, go over to that bed and grind himself into the armscrafter but... oh shells this pain was lush. 

Jaegger’s forefinger brushed back and forth across his erection until it was liberally coated with the tiny pearls of moisture that had escaped from his weeping cock.  He was tempted to bring the finger up to his mouth and suck it in, but Sergei hadn’t said lips so...

“Beautiful,” Sergei murmured, breathing deeply but carefully.  “So hot, so close to the edge.  Lover you are amazing.”  His thumb circled the flared head of his shaft, spreading the fluid over his sensitive skin and making his grip even slicker.

“Are you ready?  Do you want to come now?” he breathed.  “Do it babe, come for me.”

“How... how can I make myself come?” Jaegger panted softly, his eyes hooded and needy.  He wanted to come so badly, wanted to wrap his hands around his cock and pump it for all he was worth - but not without permission.  Not without Sergei saying those words.

A flare of pleasure and pride flashed across the armscrafter’s face and he groaned softly.  “Come here, lover.  I want to feel your mouth when you wrap your hand around that gorgeous dick and start to stroke.”

Gasping at the return of gravity as he swung to a standing position, Jaegger quickly made his way over to the bed and lay down next to Sergei.  Resting his head on Sergei’s good shoulder, Jaegger wrapped his hand around his now aching cock and began to stroke it softly at first, soon it wouldn’t be enough but for now it did the trick.

“Beautiful,” the armscrafter whispered, wrapping his arm around his lover’s waist and tilting him slightly so that he could have a better view. His own shaft twitched in reaction, but Sergei didn’t move other then to nuzzle Jaegger’s hair. “Tell me what you’re thinking about,” he breathed into the dark, silky hair.

“You,” Jaegger moaned, his eyes closing at the voluptuous sensations racing through him. “The things I’d like you to do to me.  Dark things, Sergei.  Things I need badly at times.  Things that scare me with their intensity.  I want it to be you that gives me what I need.  Everything I need.  But I’m scared, what if my wants disgust you?” Jaegger whimpered softly.  He wanted to share every darkling fantasy he had, wanted Sergei to help him act them out, the domination, the submission the bending to a stronger man’s will.  All the things that Jaegger needed desperately, but only and ever from Sergei.

The younger man shook his head, and then shifted to kiss his lover’s cheek, carefully wrapping his broken arm around Jaegger’s waist as he did so. “Baby, nothing you want could disgust me, trust me, please?” _Dark things..._ Just what did Jaegger mean by that? Sergei knew his own desires could be considered that way. “Want me to tell you the things I think of? The things that I hide away for fear of what you would think of me if you knew? I will, if it will help.”

“I trust you lover,” Jaegger admitted quickly, pressing a soft kiss against his mate’s shoulder.  “It’s myself I don’t trust.  I want... so much Gei, too much I think.  It scares me sometimes, “ he continued, trying to express what he felt with mere words, his hand slowing, then stopping altogether, his aching erection now forgotten in the need to confess.

I’d love to hear your wants, my heart, and your needs.  I want to know what I can do to make you happy,” Jaegger continued as he tried to organize his thoughts into some sort of coherence.  “But I have to... I need to tell you this.” 

Getting up abruptly, but careful not to jar Sergei, Jaegger began to stalk around the room, the motion soothing his rapidly fraying nerves.  “Shells this is hard,” he muttered, pacing.  “I never used to... _want_ like this.  Never used to desire these things, but the older I got, especially as I started taking on more and more of the hold’s responsibilities, the more I _needed_ it.  The release.  The freedom of letting someone else take over, completely.  The pain and the pleasure,” he whispered, stopping abruptly, his whole body tensing for Sergei’s reaction.

Sergei had managed to push himself back up to a sitting position while Jaegger vocalized his thoughts, and now he held his hand out to the older man, meeting his gaze squarely, trying to show him that he not only accepted his lover’s needs, that he welcomed them as well.

“You are responsible for so many lives, it’s only natural that you need to have a time and a place where you don’t have to be in charge,” the armscrafter said seriously though his heart had started hammering at what Jaegger had implied in his confession. “I’m only responsible for myself and my charges and that leads to me wanting to control everything down to the last detail. It’s so much a part of me that I can’t turn it off. That’s part of what first attracted me to you, Jag-love. You let me indulge in those parts of me that I have to keep under lock and key most of the time and...”

Reaching out, Sergei snagged Jaegger’s fingers and pulled the lord holder over to the bedside, his thumb stroking over the back of Jag’s hand as he continued. “You make me want to push the boundaries for both of us, to experiment with things we’ve both thought of but haven’t been able to give voice to. I said I had darker fantasies, they’re ones that would make the faint-hearted run screaming away from me but together. Together I think we can find the place that calls to both of us, the best of what we each desire and need.”

Jaegger’s head shot up, his eyes vulnerable and his heart exposed.  “Sergei...” he breathed softly, not daring for a moment, to believe what his lover told him.  To be _accepted_.  Oh what a thrill, what a glorious rush.  It was as if his heart would beat out of his chest, his breathing sped up, his eyes dampened.  “Oh my love, what ever I did to deserve you, I have no idea, but thank you Sergei, thank you for loving me.” 

His arousal forgotten for the moment, Jaegger crawled into bed next to his lover, his life and, mindful of Sergei’s injuries, curled against the younger man.  It was a heady rush, and a quiet bliss at the same time.  If he’d had any doubts, any fears or reservations about whether or not this man could love the _real_ him, they’d all been swept aside.

“I can hardly wait until you’re healed Sergei - there’s so much _so_ very much I want to learn with you, from you, for you, for me.  On my honor, armscrafter, you have given me the greatest gift on Pern today; you’ve given me the freedom to be myself.  I’m going to adore you ‘til the end of time.”

“I’ll be here for you, Jaegger,” the armscrafter whispered, running his good hand down the lord holder’s arm and side. “For you and with you, I promise.” Emotion clogged Sergei’s throat after that and all he was able to do was press a kiss against his lover’s soft hair, feeling complete for the first time in a month. “Never leaving.”

“Going to hold you to that contract, Armscrafter.  You’ve sealed your own fate.  Mine for life,” Jaegger grinned up at the younger man, at peace at last.  “Can’t wait till I get you home, the twins are looking forward to tormenting their new ‘daddy’,” the older man continued to tease quietly.  “Actually, I’m just looking forward to going home, now that I have a life to look forward too.”

“Daddy?” the younger man asked incredulously.  “Please tell me they don’t intend to call me that, I am just not the ‘daddy’ type.”  Shifting slightly to ease the pressure on his arm and ribs, Sergei rubbed his head against Jaegger’s head as he ran his hand down the older man’s side.  “Am looking forward to that too, though just being with you makes me feel... whole.”

“I think you’d make a wonderful father, heavens know you keep me in line,” Jag sighed with a satisfied grin.  “But no, they’re at the stage when they don’t want to call _me_ dad, let alone my life mate, so I think you’re safe,” he laughed upon hearing Sergei’s sigh of relief.  “But it is your home Sergei, and my family is yours, comes as part of having me.  That means my father, you realize.”

The succinct opinion Sergei had of his father’s meddlesome ways made him laugh, something he’d done little of lately.  Sleep began to creep up on him suddenly, and a yawn took him by surprise.  “Guess you exhausted me lover-mine, what a surprise that,” he smiled.  “I love you, Sergei.  I’m glad I let those brats of mine talk me into coming after you.”

“Guess I’ll have to wait until morning to get that show,” the armscrafter chuckled softly.  “And you still need to eat, but that can wait too.”

“Well, I could always eat you, that way I’d have a snack without even leaving bed,” Jag husked, smiling smugly at his lover.

“Thought you were tired,” the younger man admonished softly.  “Go to sleep, Jag-love.  You need it.”

“Promise to be here when I wake up, no sneaking away and hitching a ride to shaffit knows where?” Jag tried to joke, which was ruined by the slight panic in his eyes.  He knew this time was forever, but shells, he was still terrified to wake up and find Gei gone again.

Sergei’s eyes narrowed slightly at the question, and then he forced himself to relax and shook his head.  “Am not going anywhere without you, Jaegger.  Doubt I could move anyway, even if I wanted to.  You wore me out but good.”

“Love you Sergei,” Jag husked, letting his eyes drop closed as he moved slightly away from the younger man in concern for Sergei’s injuries.  “Glad I found you again.”

The younger man remained quiet until he was sure that Jaegger was asleep and then he bent his head to place a kiss on the other man’s forehead.  “So am I, Jag-love.  So am I.”

 


End file.
